More Than Meets The Eye
by Birdsong33
Summary: Guess who started a new fanfiction instead of working on her old ones? *points to self* Yep. So, here it is: Cherrypaw is a cheery young apprentice- or at least, that's what they all think. Behind her happy smile, there's a lot more than meets the eye. Follow her attempt to deal with unoriginal yet intense problems, (lol) yet still keep everybody smiling.
1. The Sun Isn't The Only Thing Rising

More Than Meets The Eye

Cherrypaw trotted out of the apprentice den, seeing her mentor Fawnbreeze just pad out of the warriors den, looking rather tired. She hopped over to her mentor.

"What are we doing today?" She asked eagerly. Fawnbreeze glanced at her.

"Always up before dawn, Cherrypaw. We're doing dawn patrol, but we don't need to meet Sunshadow for a while." She said, ending it off with a yawn. "I don't understand how you love mornings so much. Half the camp isn't awake yet."

"I just like to start new days!" Cherrypaw said enthusiastically. "I mean, a new day is like the start of a new adventure! I don't understand how you cats don't love mornings!"

Suddenly Sandshade padded over. "I see you two are up early. Sunshadow should be here soon. I'll go get Applepaw, she should come with us." Fawnbreeze nodded as he left, and began washing her cream and white fur quickly.

As Sunshadow walked over, Sandshade and a bedraggled Applepaw padded over. Cherrypaw nudged her friend's shoulder.

"Come on, dawn patrols are fun. We're doing Shadowclan's border, which is even better. I mean, it's so dark and shadowy over there, and then suddenly the sun finishes rising and you can see everything! I really love sunrises!"

Applepaw yawned. "Yeah right. I've been an apprentice for a moon longer, the dawn patrols get boring after a while." She licked some fur down on her shoulder. "I don't know why you're so excited. After 3 moons of dawn patrols, you _should _be sick of it."

Sunshadow glanced down at them. "Come on. Maybe some of Cherrypaw's enthusiasm will rub off on us after a while. Let's get out into the forest, stretch our legs a bit. We can see which of you two can get to Shadowclan's border the fastest." Her eyes sparkled as she issued the challenge.

Cherrypaw liked Sunshadow. She was still a young warrior, and didn't mind making things fun. Grumpy old warriors like Sandshade were always so _serious! _At least she had Applepaw, even if she may be grumpy old badger in the mornings, she was pretty fun after the sun was up.

"Alright! Let's go!" Cherrypaw said, tearing out of camp. Applepaw caught up to her quickly. Although Applepaw never had the same energy as Cherrypaw, she was still thinner and faster.

She tore along faster, trying to keep up with Applepaw, who had passed her and was still accelerating. She glanced behind her, seeing Sunshadow nudging Fawnbreeze and charging after the apprentices. Sandshade glanced at Fawnbreeze, who in return gave a look that said 'What can you do?'. Eventually the warriors were racing after them, if only to keep up with the others.

Cherrypaw was well ahead of the warriors, although Applepaw The Speedy was way ahead.

She narrowed her eyes, giving her all and running forward. She soon caught up with a panting and exhausted Applepaw, and they trotted alongside each other until they reached the border.

Fawnbreeze was the first to catch up. Then came Sunshadow and Sandshade. Sunshadow nudged Cherrypaw.

"When I was an apprentice, Fawnbreeze and Sandshade weren't so old and grumpy. They used to be a lot of fun."

Cherrypaw glanced at the older warriors. "I hope I don't end up like that when I become a warrior." She mewed.

Sunshadow laughed. "Unless something big happens, I don't think you'll ever be that boring."

Cherrypaw looked up at her. "I hope nothing happens then."

They were nearing the end of the patrol when Cherrypaw heard the soft crunching of pine needles being squashed. Her ears perked up, and she looked down at the ferns and grass beneath her and her clanmates' paws.

"I think there's a Shadowclan patrol nearby." She meowed.

Suddenly she heard two youthful voices and two toms raced past on the other side of the border, before screeching to a halt and padding back towards

Cherrypaw and the patrol calmly, as if nothing had happened.

"Um, hello?" Applepaw said, looking half amused and half curious.

One of them was staring at Cherrypaw. She shuffled her paws slightly in awkwardness.

"Hi. I'm Sootpaw and this is my friend Emberpaw." Said one, nudging the one who was staring at Cherrypaw.

She felt relieved, and responded quickly.

"Hello. I'm Cherrypaw, this is Applepaw, Sunshadow, Fawnbreeze, and Sandshade." She said, introducing her patrol. Some cats came up behind Emberpaw and Sootpaw.

"What is this?" Asked a black she-cat, who seemed to be leading the patrol. Her eyes were narrowed and she eyed them all critically.

Emberpaw replied quickly, as if eager to answer her question correctly.

"Thunderclan patrol. This is Sandshade, Fawnbreeze, Sunshadow, Applepaw, and Cherrypaw. Is there a problem, Shadowmist?" He said quickly and without any emotion, although his gaze had returned to Cherrypaw.

She smiled slightly, shyly. Why did he keep staring at her? It's not like she was anything special. She wasn't anything worth looking at, was she?

Shadowmist frowned, drawing her attention again as she spoke. "Carry on with your patrol. Just remember, we'll be coming back this way, so don't stir up any trouble."

The patrol moved on, but suddenly Emberpaw held one paw up and faltered. "I think I have a thorn or something in my paw." He said.

Cherrypaw responded quickly. "I'll help him. I was watching Pebblefall last night, I know how to do it." She kept up her cheery expression, although part of her wanted to frown. Why had she lied? She _never _lied. She didn't know exactly how to remove thorns, just part of her had wanted to hold back and help Emberpaw.

"Alright." Sunshadow said. "You can stay behind and help him. If it takes a while, just go back to camp. If not you can catch up later."

Shadowmist looked reluctant, but then agreed. "Fine, she can help you. Meet up with us later on the border if it's not too serious." The patrol moved on, although Sootpaw passed a worried glance back at Cherrypaw and Emberpaw, as did Applepaw.

Emberpaw smiled weakly. "So, you're Cherrypaw?" He said slightly shyly.

"Er, yes." Cherrypaw said. Part of her felt embarrassed. Why was that? She hadn't done anything!

They stared at eachother for a moment.

"Er, we shouldn't waste our time. I need to catch up with my patrol later." She said, taking his paw and examining it.

"Oh, yes...right." Emberpaw mewed.

"There doesn't seem to be anything here." Cherrypaw said. "I'd better go catch up with my patrol.

"Wait!" Emberpaw said, then instantly looked awkward, as if he hadn't meant to say it out loud. "Um, never mind. Go."

Cherrypaw and Emberpaw parted, although she couldn't help but glance back a couple times.


	2. The Elder's Den

Cherrypaw had met the patrol halfway back to camp. Applepaw told her nothing much had happened, and the rest of the patrol looked tired and bored. As they padded into camp she noticed Nightbird and Pebblefall rushing around outside of the nursery. Iceflower was outside, trying to handle all five of the kits by herself. Nutwing was probably inside the nursery somewhere.

"What's going on?" Cherrypaw asked her mother, Cherryfur, who was standing nearby.

"Raindapple's kits are coming." She responded excitedly. Raindapple was Cherryfur's first litter, and Cherrypaw's older sister.

Cherrypaw liked her mother, and was proud to be named after her, although they looked quite different, her mother's short tortoiseshell pelt not matching Cherrypaw's bright ginger fur in the slightest.

Raindapple had been Cherrypaw's favorite older sibling. She was fun and payed more attention to her than her other siblings, Stonesong and Dappledflame, had.

Nightbird popped out of the nursery, her eyes shining. "Three she-kits and a tom." She announced happily. She hadn't been a full medicine cat for long, this being her first kitting.

Shadewillow, the father, raced forwards. Cherrypaw glanced at the nursery entrance. "Can I go see the kits? Or will it be too crowded?" She whispered to her mother.

"You should leave Raindapple and Shadewillow alone for a bit. It's their first litter, so they'll be rather excited, and there'll be plenty of time tomorrow."

Cherrypaw nodded, walking over to where Iceflower was trying to keep the kits away from the nursery.

"Look, Frostkit, we can't go into the nursery yet. Raindapple needs to be left alone for a bit."

"But I wanna go inside!" Frostkit complained.

"Yeah! It's cold out here!" Snowkit was arguing.

"Shadewillow's allowed inside! Why aren't we!?"

There was a chorus of complaints and wails.

Iceflower pushed the kits against her with her fluffy tail. "We're going to leave Raindapple alone, and that's final. But," She began gently, "We can go to the elders den for now. Do you guys want to hear a story?"

Turtlekit, the smallest of them all, piped up. "Yeah! Spottedfern tells the _best _stories!"

The kits stampeded towards the elder's den. Iceflower looked relieved.

Cherrypaw padded over. "When will the kits be put back in the nursery?" She asked, curious.

"Oh, probably by sunhigh. Raindapple will need her space at first, but nothing was wrong with her kitting, and she should be fine."

"She had four kits. Won't the nursery be full?"

"Very. But Nutwing and Raindapple are both very talented at raising kits, and although the elders do grumble about them, they do enjoy having an audience of kits to listen to their stories."

Cherrypaw nodded. She was glad Raindapple had had her kits. She wondered if any of them looked like her. Although she really wanted to see, she didn't want to get in the way, so she padded over to the elder's den, just in case a kit tried to get into some mischief. The elders might now notice if a kit or two sneaked away, with five of them bouncing all over their paws.


	3. Raindapple And The Kits

As Cherrypaw walked into the elder's den, she made a quick kit-count. Turtlekit, Snowkit, Frostkit...but where was Littlekit and Daisykit? She sighed.

Suddenly Silverdawn noticed her.

"Come listen, Cherrypaw. You could due to hear this story. I've been telling the kits about the time when Tigerstar ruled the forest."

Cherrypaw maintained her constant cheery expression. It generally helped, especially in times when nobody else seemed to be happy.

"I really would like to stay, but I have some things to do. I was just here to check on the kits quickly. But thanks anyways! I'd love to hear that story another time."

Snowleaf nodded. "Alright. But be sure to come back. You young cats, never respect the history of your own clans!"

Cherrypaw nodded cheerfully. "Of course Snowleaf!"

She trotted away, leaving the three elders to take care of the three remaining kits.

Suddenly she saw Iceflower, gently scolding Daisykit and Littlekit, before the pair ran into the nursery excitedly.

She padded over. "How's Raindapple doing?" She asked.

"Raindapple is doing wonderfully. Shadewillow and her named the kits."

"Really? What are their names?"

"Flurrykit, Galekit, Flamekit, and Mistkit."

"Can I go see them?" She chirped.

"Of course."

Cherrypaw padded over to where her sister was laying, four kits suckling happily by her side.

"Cherrypaw!" Raindapple welcomed her wearily. She was tired-looking, yet still bright-eyed.

"Raindapple! Your kits are beautiful!" She exclaimed happily.

"Aren't they?" Raindapple mewed, staring down at her kits happily. "Look at Flamekit. Isn't she beautiful? She looks just like you!"

The tiny she-kit did, in fact, look like her. It was remarkable.

"That's awesome!" Cherrypaw exclaimed happily.

Raindapple smiled. "And to think, one day you and my kits will be warriors along side eachother. You may even be apprentices together for a while."

Cherrypaw thought about this. It was unbelievable to picture these tiny creatures as warriors. She could hardly picture herself as a warrior, let alone these kits.

"I'll leave you alone now. Good luck with your kits!" Cherrypaw called over her shoulder as she left the den.


End file.
